Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fimmsunpibico’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fimmsunpibico’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized decorative inflorescences with pink and red purple bi-colored ray florets; late August flowering response under natural season conditions; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIMMSUNPIBICO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a garden Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fimmsunpibico’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early-flowering garden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made in January, 2007 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 3113, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 3012, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in December, 2007. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fimmsunpibico’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fimmsunpibico’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-sized decorative inflorescences with pink and red         purple bi-colored ray florets.     -   5. Plants flower under natural season conditions during the last         week of August in the United Kingdom.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have slightly smaller         inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection under         natural season conditions.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female         parent selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yogigi Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,666. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Yogigi Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more upright than plants         of ‘Yogigi Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Yogigi Pink’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week         earlier than plants of ‘Yogigi Pink’ under natural season         conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fimmsunpibico’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 15° C. and light levels ranged from 400 to 2,500 joules. Plants were pinched one time and were about 14 weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fimmsunpibico’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 3113, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 3012, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden             Chrysanthemum; compact with stems upright to outwardly             spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance to the             plant; numerous lateral branches and relatively short             internodes, dense and full plant habit; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 43.5 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, about twelve             lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex             (pinching); each primary lateral with numerous secondary             laterals.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Aspect: About 75° from stem. Texture: Fine pubescence.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 5 cm.             Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate.             Apex: Apiculate to mucronate. Base: Obtuse with truncate             tendencies. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral             lobes parallel to divergent; slightly dentate. Texture,             upper surface: Fine pubescence, sparse. Texture, lower             surface: Fine pubescence; veins prominent. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 147C. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,             close to 146C. Petiole: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on             terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely             flowering habit with about 27 inflorescences developing per             lateral branch and about 810 inflorescences developing per             plant.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.         -   Flowering response.—Early flowering habit, plants exposed to             natural season conditions begin flowering the last week of             August in the United Kingdom; with photoinductive             conditions, response time is about 33 days.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             7 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Hemispherical, pointed. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Ray florets.—Orientation: Initially upright, then about 80°             from vertical. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Fused into a             short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 178 arranged in about 13 whorls. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 69C. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 69C flushed with close to 72C. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 69D; color becoming closer             to 76D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 69D flushed with close to 75B; color becoming closer to             N155C flushed with close to 69C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 5 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About ten. Color, immature: Apex: Close to             15C. Mid-section: Close to 142D. Base: Close to 155D. Color,             mature: Apex: Close to 15D. Mid-section: Close to 142D.             Base: Close to 155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 26             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base:             Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine             pubescence; waxy. Color, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5.5 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 1 mm. Angle: Erect to             about 35° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong,             flexible. Texture: Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium             (present on ray and disc florets): Pistil length: About             7 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 12A.             Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 1D. Ovary             color: Close to 157D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Chrysanthemum grown under commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures     from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fimmsunpibico’ as illustrated and described. 